One commonly used simple method for preventing a heavy object from toppling over due to vibrations, for example, from a giant earthquake is to secure the heavy object to the ground with anchor bolts. However, as this method requires drilling or otherwise making holes in the supporting surface to secure the heavy object, this method cannot be easily used to install processing lines at food processing plants, which need periodic cleaning for maintaining hygienic conditions, or at plants where large pieces of equipment need to be moved frequently.
As a means to solve such a problem, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2015-72062 proposes vibration control pads using gel elastic bodies and a method for seismic isolation. As shown in FIG. 7A, according to this publication, a vibration control pad 50 and a pressurizing plate 60 are interposed between each leg portion 30 of a heavy object, such as equipment 1, and a floor surface F. As shown in FIG. 7B, the vibration control pad 50 includes a gel elastic body 70 made, for example, of silicon rubber having elastic viscosity that absorbs the vibration of the equipment 1 and a support body 80 made, for example, of high-damping rubber that bears or supports the load of the equipment 1. Once the vibration control pads 50 are installed, the support bodies 80 bear and support the load of the equipment 1 so that the gel elastic bodies 70 are prevented from being crushed during normal use while the gel elastic bodies 70 are adapted to absorb vibration due to its elastic viscosity during vibration. This method allows for the fixing of a heavy object on a supporting surface without making holes in the supporting surface.